From now until the 2023 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Holy Cross WR Jalen Coker.
#80 Jalen Coker/WR Holy Cross – 6013, 208 pounds (Senior)
NFL Combine
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Jalen Coker | 6013/208 | 9 7/8″ | 32 7/8″ | 76 3/4″ |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.57 | 1.60 | DNP | DNP | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 10’8″ | 42.5″ | DNP |
The Good
– 85th percentile combine testing with a 99th percentile in the vertical jump and 92nd percentile in the broad jump
– True hands catcher who is able to make difficult catches outside of his frame while also mixing in body catches
– Great in contested catch situations with his basketball background allowing him to box out the defender and go over the top of them
– Understands his positioning on the field which allows him to make sideline toe-tap catches
– Pretty solid route runner who can create separation at the top of his intermediate routes
– Has been used in gadget plays like end-arounds and passing plays which opens up how NFL offenses can utilize him
– Good initial release off the line which sets him up in a good position to win the rep
The Bad
– An unranked recruit coming from an FCS school can be looked at negatively and raise questions if he can make the jump to the NFL
– No agility combine testing and on film shows to lack after the catch ability with really no moves to make a defender miss
– Does not stand out as a blocker often and lacks the desired consistent effort you would want to see in that area
– Speed tested from the 42nd percentile to the 54th percentile and on film does not appear to have burners which allow DBs to stay with him on deeper routes
– Won’t be able to be used as a returner due to speed and agility concerns
– Can wait too long to work back toward the quarterback on a broken-down play
Bio
– Played 36 games for Holy Cross
– 163 receptions, 2,715 receiving yards, 31 receiving touchdowns, and 16.4 yards per catch in his college career
– 59 receptions, 1,035 receiving yards, 15 receiving touchdowns, and 17.5 yards per catch in 2023
– No reported injuries
– Zero-star WR in his 2020 high school class from Sterling, VA
– School’s all-time leader in touchdown receptions, receiving yards, and single-season touchdown receptions
– Caught 89 passes for 1,622 yards and 18 touchdowns in high school. Also, he put up 169 tackles and 12 interceptions on defense
– Played basketball in high school, where he averaged 16.4 points per game, seven rebounds per game, 2.3 assists per game, 2.4 steals per game, and 1.4 blocks per game as a senior playing center in 25 games
– Ran track in high school
Tape Breakdown
It would be a poor breakdown of Jalen Coker if I did not start off with his flashy contested catching ability. In the clips below, I showed a contested catch against Lehigh University where Coker had two defenders on him in the back of the end zone. He is able to turn around, track the ball, and make the catch over two defensive backs. The second clip shows a one-on-one situation against a Harvard defensive back with a post route. Coker is able to once again track the ball and highpoint it for the touchdown over the defender. In both these clips, there is clearly no separation from Coker and the defenders which is a constant when he is tasked with running deeper routes. However, despite the separation issues, these plays do wonders for recognition as a contested catcher. He plays bigger than his 6’1” frame which is why most people believed ESPN or Holy Cross’ website that listed him at 6’3”. It is the same kind of play style that makes DeAndre Hopkins so great.
— Steven (@Elspedd2) April 1, 2024
Drops were not an issue for all the film I watched on Coker. However, it is pretty hard to ignore this one. Coker struggled with inconsistency at the quarterback position getting accurate passes from Matthew Sluka. That being said, Sluka in this situation gave Coker the best shot possible to catch this 30-yard ball in between two defenders. If the ball is placed any higher, it would be looked at as a hospital ball with the defender being ready to take Coker’s head off. Coker finished with an uncharacteristic 50 yards in this Boston College game which hampers Holy Cross’ chance of winning the game. Despite Coker having an underwhelming stat line and a pretty big drop, they only lost by 3 to Boston College. Some can argue your best weapon having an unusually unproductive day tanks the team’s momentum especially when he is Sluka’s go-to guy.
— Steven (@Elspedd2) April 1, 2024
It was clear Coker is a true hands catcher who can grab balls outside of his frame while still mixing in body catches. In this clip, Coker is tasked with catching a back shoulder go ball against Boston College’s Elijah Jones, a legit day-two NFL draft prospect this year. This clip shows Coker working against an NFL talent, separating at the catch point, making a true hands catch, and knowing his body position on the field to make a toe-tap catch on the sideline. Overall, this is a crazy effort play from Coker on third down that Jones really can not prevent from happening.
— Steven (@Elspedd2) April 1, 2024
On his tape, Coker flashes a great ability as a short and intermediate route runner. The Boston College corner is lined up with inside leverage against Coker on the line. Coker then starts by attacking this leverage with an inside release despite the out-route responsibility. Now that the defender’s hips are turned inside, Coker is able to use a swipe with his hands and slip under the defender. This is perfect technique and creates a ton of separation for Coker to work with. Coker finishes the play with a nice hands catch and an attempt to make the defender miss.
— Steven (@Elspedd2) April 1, 2024
Sluka trusted Coker in just about every situation and for good reason. Here is Coker working on the outside in a crunch-time situation against South Dakota State. SDSU knows where Sluka wants to throw the ball, which is why Coker has two to three defenders in his area in both of these clips. Coker shows the ability to win these reps and come up with chunk plays to give his team a chance to score at the end of the half. Coker having that reliability factor despite teams trying to neutralize him is going to intrigue teams. If Coker can succeed despite everyone knowing he’s getting the ball, what will NFL teams do when they have to worry about him and a true number-one wide receiver?
— Steven (@Elspedd2) April 1, 2024
Conclusion
Steve Smith Sr. had a pretty interesting comparison for Jalen Coker, it was NBA Hall of Famer Tim Duncan. Coker shows a great knack for contested catching and the ability to track the ball over a defender which makes this comparison not so far-fetched. Coker’s 99th percentile in the vertical jump and 92nd percentile in the broad jump make him a mismatch for corners. These numbers also make him a gutsy quarterback’s favorite target. I could see Coker being a Chris Matthews type player despite being 4-inches shorter. Coker struggles with speed and agility, which will hurt his draft stock, but as a guy who can come off the bench and make a massive impact as a contested-catch guy, he can be very valuable.
In many ways, Coker shows to be a one-trick pony, but that one trick is very good hands, which is great enough to make him stand out on film and force teams to double-team him. He might be overlooked by teams that heavily value those yards-after-catch receivers and those that are looking to add a late-round returner. Despite being overlooked by these teams, Coker has overcome struggles from being an unranked recruit out of high school to setting school records at Holy Cross. He will be a late-round guy but has the potential to be well worth the selection.
Projection: Late Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 6.7 – Backup/Special Teamer (Fifth Round)
Games Watched: Boston College (2023), Harvard (2023), Yale (2023), Lehigh (2023), South Dakota State (2022)
